2025 so far...will it stay this eventful?

Next week is looking up though.  

You are correct they will blame everything on Trump. 

MSNBC is currently blaming Trump for the fires in California..

Nice spin. What they're actually doing is countering Trump's apportioning of blame.
It didn't rain in California last summer. According to MAGA, that's the Dems fault.
There was a 60mph southerly wind blowing across a front 100 miles long. Of course, Governor Newsom is responsible for that as well.

It didn't rain???  Then why was Newsom bragging about the reservoirs being full. (A lie...they drained one million of gallon reservoir,  not filled and then they are surprised  don't have water)

It rained more than normal on 2024 in CA. 30% more. 

There are multiple causes in CA. Yes the wind is one that cannot control.   But there are multiple factors they can control and they failed. 
From lack of water. ( unfilled reservoirs,  broken pumps etc, to diverting water to the ocean),
Not maintaining the forest, 
Importing very flammable trees.
To cutting fire budgets while paying firepeople $700k a year, not sure how many they can afford at those prices.
To giving their equipment away (sent to Ukraine)
They may not control the wind but the rest is all on them. 
There are reasons insurance companies are refusing to renew home policies, they know. This post was edited by my2cents at January 13, 2025 10:22 AM MST

Thank you for sharing your expertise. I was going to wait for the post mortem,  but now I don't have to.

Always willing to help. 

"A report examining the salaries of firefighters with the City of Los Angeles (CA) Fire Department noted that 86 employees made more than $400K in 2022, with one fire captain making more than $700K.

The report from www.hddailynews.com noted that the captain who made $712,933 last year was the highest-paid employee in the city. The member had a base pay of $169,764 and was paid $502,681 for overtime, along with additional benefits."

"The Los Angeles Fire Department made a small donation of unusable equipment back in March 2022. It contained helmets, gloves, boots, medicines — not the powerful machinery needed to fight a fire of this scale."

"T]he equipment that was transferred to Ukraine more than three years ago would not have helped fight a fire of this magnitude at all. In his post, LeFevre «forgot» to mention that the phrase «surplus» means that the items transferred to Ukrainian firefighters were mostly unsuitable for use in the United States for one reason or another: some models were updated, replaced with more modern ones, or sent «for retirement» due to the expiration of their ten-year service life. However, they can be used quite safely as international aid, especially in crisis situations. In addition, the aid package consisted of helmets, gloves, boots, hoses and nozzles for them, as well as medical equipment — tourniquets, bandages, hygiene products, etc., and not heavy machinery that would now be crucial in the Los Angeles situation."

https://www.stopfake.org/en/fake-los-angeles-fires-can-not-be-put-out-because-local-fire-department-gave-ukraine-surplus-equipment/

EDIT TO ADD:  While there may have been a 30% increase in rain, temperatures in CA were higher than normal, thereby causing greater evaporation of rain water.  If water evaporates before it has a chance to soak the ground, it is useless.

This post was edited by Spunky at January 13, 2025 2:16 PM MST

One of the things that struck me, was hearing that (at that point) , 7000 homes and other structures had burned. Normally 3-4   firetrucks are sent to a house fire and it would take 26,000 firetrucks to cover that. It's mind- boggling.  

Even if everything was done right, there is absolutely no way they could effectively fight these fires with so many acres and structures burning at the same time - especially not with the Santa Ana winds blowing embers everywhere at 70+ mph.  

Another interesting fact. California uses prison inmates to do some of the less skilled fire fighting. They volunteer for the crew and get paid about $10 a day. Kind of cost effective, I  think although some think it's unfair to the inmates. 

How is it unfair if it's voluntary?  Unfair is if they were made to do it and not paid.

I don't know. Something about low pay for dangerous work. I really don't know own enough to comment.

They get room and board free.  And 2 days good behavior for everyday worked.  They are inmates not professional firefighters.  They do not get paid like they are regular workers.

Yes. I am aware. But thanks for your input.

It's not groundwater content that helps/hinders a fire, rather it's the water content of the fuel being burned.  Hot temperatures greatly reduces the moisture in plants making them even more flammable.  The LA area hasn't seen rain in 8 months.  The 30% "increase" in rainfall was last winter - well before our record breaking summer heat.  All excess moisture in the fuel was evaporated by September.  

I believe LA gets its water from the Colorado River. And if insurance companies pulling out of a state means they must have bad government,  does that apply to the homeowners insurance crisis in Florida? 

If the gov is not doing what is required to reduce damages, yes. 

Not sure, what FL could be doing to reduce hurricane damage....

But there are things CA gov can and should do to help deal with fire damage. 

Glad you're on top of it.

Glad to keep you informed.

You didn't read my post properly. It didn't rain IN SUMMER. So the extra 30% from WINTER had evaporated. I live in Australia where wildfires happen as a matter of routine and I used to be a volunteer fire-fighter until the back injury, so I kinda know how they work.
You can't fill a reservoir without rain. They diverted excess water to the ocean when those reservoirs were full - last April.
His Royal Orangeness suggested that they "rake the forest". Have you ever seen the way a crown fire propagates? You cannot possibly maintain that other than by backburning and this is precisely the time of year to do that. Obviously impossible with those winds.
Most of the exotic vegetation is privately owned, the forests are native.
California actually employs more fire-fighters now than it did a year ago, but in the middle of winter more than a few were on vacation - that's traditionally a slow time for fires, the weather conditions the past week were atypical.
The equipment they sent to Ukraine was outmoded and obsolete - and had all been replaced.

Your move.

I can't wait for the reply.

You right I did not see the summer. 

In any case,  gov cannot control the rain or the wind etc.

But the gov does control if the reservoirs are filled. If the pumps work, if the other equipment works. 
If they are diverting water to the ocean. (They never stopped so they did not start last April) 
Make sure they are doing prescribed fires.  Allowing needed logging. 
Leasing land to cattle/sheep ranchers. 
Creating fire breaks. 
Using herbicides in residential areas to expand those fire  breaks. 
Paying an reasonable wage so they can afford the number of firefighters needed.  
Selling used outdated equipment so they can purchase the updated equipment or pay workers. 
You are right, the gum trees are not native. But they are not "privately owned", they are everywhere.  And they are a fire hazard.  

CA is not doing what should be done.    And their people are paying the price for it. 

Now, during the Paradise fire, it was somehow Trump's fault.  It this Biden/Harris fault? Or just Newsom and Bass? 

This post was edited by my2cents at January 14, 2025 7:22 PM MST